Infection rates have dropped in Scotland with one in 110 people estimated to have had Covid-19 last week. 

This equates to an estimated 49,500 people in the community population in Scotland that had COVID-19 at any given time on the week ending July 24. 

While estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that numbers have dropped in Scotland, elsewhere in the UK Covid-19 infections are continuing to rise. 

Scotland has placed third out of the four nations in the weekly stats, a stark contrast to last week when numbers were at their highest level since records began where one in 80 people were estimated to have Covid. 

Scotland had also previously topped affection rates ahead of the rest of the UK for three weeks in a row. 

The ONS report stated: "The proportion of people testing positive remains higher in younger people.

"In the most recent week, the trend in the proportion of people testing positive in the community population in Scotland appears to have decreased for all ages."

Elsewhere in the UK, around one in 65 people in private households in England had Covid-19 in the week to July 24, up from one in 75 in the previous week. 

This is the highest level since the week to January 30.

It is the ninth week in a row that infection levels in England have increased – though there are “possible signs” the rate of increase may have slowed, the ONS said.

Infections are also estimated to have risen in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Around one in 160 people in Wales are estimated to have had Covid-19 in the week to July 24, up from one in 210 and the highest level since the week to February 12.

 

In Northern Ireland, the latest estimate is around one in 65 people, up from one in 170 – like England, the highest level since the week to January 30.

All figures are for people in private households, and do not include hospitals, care homes and other settings.